The project, led by Katina Robison, MD, of the Program in Women’s Oncology, is entitled “Increased Prevalence of Abnormal Anal Cytology and High-Risk HPV in Women with a History of Lower Genital Tract Dysplasia or Neoplasia” and was presented at the 2014 HPV Conference in Seattle.

“HPV is associated with anal cancer, which is more common among women. In 2014 alone, there were 7,200 cases of anal cancer noted and 4,500 of them are women. We believe that women with HPV would benefit greatly from routine anal cancer screening,” concludes Dr. Robison, who is also an assistant professor and director of colposcopy at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Anal cancer screening is routinely performed using anal cytology in HIV positive men and women, as well as in men having sex with men. Knowing that anal cancer is five times more likely in women with a history of cervical, vaginal or vulvar cancer, which are all linked to HPV, Robison wanted to evaluate the feasibility of screening HIV negative women with anal cytology and HPV testing.

The research – conducted from December 2012 to February 2014 – examined 273 women recruited through Women & Infants’ outpatient clinics. Anal cytology and HPV genotyping were performed. All women with abnormal anal cytology were referred for high-resolution anoscopy. Biopsies were also conducted at the discretion of the colorectal surgeon.

The 273 women were divided into two groups – the “exposed group” who had a history of cervical, vaginal or vulvar cancer, and the “unexposed group” who had no history of cancer, dysplasia or abnormal Pap smears. Of those, 40 percent of the exposed group and 21.7 percent of the unexposed group were found to have abnormal anal cytology. In the exposed group, 20.8 percent were found to have high-risk HPV, but only 1.2 percent of the unexposed group.

Women interested in making an appointment with Dr. Robison or other providers with the Program in Women’s Oncology at Women & Infants can call (401) 453-7520.

About Women & Infants Hospital

Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, a Care New England hospital, is one of the nation’s leading specialty hospitals for women and newborns. A major teaching affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University for obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics, as well as a number of specialized programs in women’s medicine, Women & Infants is the 12th largest stand-alone obstetrical service in the country and the largest in New England with approximately 8,500 deliveries per year. A Designated Baby-Friendly® USA hospital, U.S.News & World Report 2014-15 Best Children’s Hospital in Neonatology and a 2014 Leapfrog Top Hospital, in 2009 Women & Infants opened what was at the time the country’s largest, single-family room neonatal intensive care unit.

Women & Infants and Brown offer fellowship programs in gynecologic oncology, maternal-fetal medicine, urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery, neonatal-perinatal medicine, pediatric and perinatal pathology, gynecologic pathology and cytopathology, and reproductive endocrinology and infertility. It is home to the nation’s first mother-baby perinatal psychiatric partial hospital, as well as the nation’s only fellowship program in obstetric medicine.